"Safety" Gate

[working class hero]

As Dirk says, it enforces a pedestrian one-way system, and I think the club are correct to keep it.

Agree - but why not put the barrier across the SW corner every second game. Then the West stand STHs would have to walk all the way around the ground to get away... If fans are too thick to cope with such a change then do it for alternate seasons.

[Dirk Gently]

As Dirk says, it enforces a pedestrian one-way system, and I think the club are correct to keep it.

Agree - but why not put the barrier across the SW corner every second game. Then the West stand STHs would have to walk all the way around the ground to get away... If fans are too thick to cope with such a change then do it for alternate seasons.

Beause they'd have to install/move the gaate, at extra expense. And there would be confusion (never under-estimate the stupidity of some people) so what would be the point of it?

[working class hero]

what would be the point of it?

People leaving from the North and East would get a chance to get away a bit earlier....

[anR]

There is now a specific reason for me to go down the hill outside the south stand, to get the Wokingham bus, but I am forced to walk round the stadium getting sucked up in the ever increasing crowds. I've not even been on the bus too long before it left both times I've used it. I struggle to get round the stadium in time in the thick crowds.

I see no actual reason to have the gate, as the crowds would thin out walking left and I can't possibly see too many people walking left from the South side of that gate. No other stadium has such a ludicrous system, and I swear the hours are ticking before I miss my bus due to my struggle round the stadium.

I recently emailed the club on two things. This being one and also away ticket allocation. Shock horror, I have not received a response about the 'safety' fence issue, save a 'we will contact you when we get a mo' email.

what would be the point of it?

People leaving from the North and East would get a chance to get away a bit earlier....

Or many people like me able to catch there bus safely?

Beause they'd have to install/move the gaate, at extra expense. And there would be confusion (never under-estimate the stupidity of some people) so what would be the point of it?

What would the cost in to just take it down and despense with it all together? This is a much easier and more realistic idea.

But surely, as with everything to do with crowd control, procedures have to be folllowed.

You mean procedures that do not get followed at grounds up and down the country?

Those of us that park near the Southeast corner are held back far far longer than anyone else in the whole stadium.

There are always a bunch of people waiting for the stewards to open the gate after games. After Wigan I counted at least five. After Sheffield I anticapated the gate and walked out gate 8 and around the hotel. Both times it was so tight getting the bus! I could have waited for them to open the gate, but then surely I would have missed it altogether...

Why oh Why was it used tonight. Can stewards not use any common sense!!!!

Maybe it's there to protect the away fans from the Reading fans?

If this is the case then I am very interested to know why this insane system is not complied to at all games I've been to. As it's not, there is no doubt in my mind that it is to 'ease' the flow of people, which is still uneccessary. Sure, once they remove it, it will make the South Stand a little more crowded. Maybe away fans would start to feel like us then, with home fans all over the place after an away day!

Compare to OT where there are 76,000 people who all get out easily.

The biggest stadium in the country and 3000 odd Royals were 'thrust' into the middle of 73,000 odd Man Utd fans. I witnessed no trouble or crowd congestion. RFC should really take some inspiration from teams like this!

Apart from the Cardiff/Millwall/Brizzle trouble there was regular crushing outside the South-East corner. with fans trying to go in both directions.

Right, so now all the pedestrian traffic flowing Northwards out of the East Stand is twice as thick when we have much bigger crowds? Even in heavy crowds, people like me will be able to exit the stadium quicker than we do now. Maybe the buses would also be able to leave sooner also!

So do we get rid of the safety gate? Unlikely to work.

I disagree. Plus, if we take it down and melt it into scarp metal, we maybe able to start the funding for another Shorey with the money...

[M U R T Y]

some good points made - can you let us know if you get a response from the club??

[The 17 Bus]

I still have the original leaflets handed out when the ground was planned, it tells of how it has been designed for ease of getaway, someone should sue the designers.

IMHO the safety gate is poorly designed, and should not be needed at all, as has been said many a time here it causes major crowds round the Stadium ands seems to slow the exit of people by forcing them all the same way.

[Dirk Gently]

I still have the original leaflets handed out when the ground was planned, it tells of how it has been designed for ease of getaway, someone should sue the designers.

IMHO the safety gate is poorly designed, and should not be needed at all, as has been said many a time here it causes major crowds round the Stadium ands seems to slow the exit of people by forcing them all the same way.

But surely those original leaflets included the steps down the slope to get away from the East stand. Losing those (because they were so dangerous) changed the whole crowd dynamics there, and now more and more people want to go out that way than ever planned (because of buses and external car parks) the crush would be dangerous.

[The 17 Bus]

I dont think so DG, many from the East and North go down the other slope anyway, I would suggest it just delays the crush for a while, and slows down the exit from the ground.

At least there are plans to change the exits when the ground is extended.

[Dirk Gently]

Surely slowing down the crush is the whole point? Less of a crush for a longer period must be a lot safer than a sudden, intense, crush.

[Harps stay sharp]

But look at the number of police other clubs have at their grounds. RFC prides itself with having very few police at home matches, which saves us a fortune each season. In fact the Man City home match earlier this season was completely police free and I expect Wigan was as well, amongst others.

Because of this there have to be measures to stop the minority of our fans having a go at the away fans. Probably the same fans that abuse our stewards and go rushing accross to the away fans when we score a goal. This small minority can not be trusted, give them in inch and they'll take a mile.

Ok the majority of our fans are fantastic but there are a few that ruin it for everyone else.

[The 17 Bus]

No I mean that less people leave at the immediate end of the game, then more come along all together, I have used this route and you see many folk rushing to get out asap.

No idea what the hill is like immediately afte the end of the game tho, what I do know is that it seems to be taking even longer for the ground and car parks to clear than ever before.

[biscuitsrus]

But look at the number of police other clubs have at their grounds. RFC prides itself with having very few police at home matches, which saves us a fortune each season. In fact the Man City home match earlier this season was completely police free and I expect Wigan was as well, amongst others.

Because of this there have to be measures to stop the minority of our fans having a go at the away fans. Probably the same fans that abuse our stewards and go rushing accross to the away fans when we score a goal. This small minority can not be trusted, give them in inch and they'll take a mile.

Ok the majority of our fans are fantastic but there are a few that ruin it for everyone else.

Sitting in Y26 as I do I have NOT seen this rush that you speak of. Is this first hand experience or are you dreaming?

[working class hero]

But look at the number of police other clubs have at their grounds. RFC prides itself with having very few police at home matches, which saves us a fortune each season. In fact the Man City home match earlier this season was completely police free and I expect Wigan was as well, amongst others.

Because of this there have to be measures to stop the minority of our fans having a go at the away fans. Probably the same fans that abuse our stewards and go rushing accross to the away fans when we score a goal. This small minority can not be trusted, give them in inch and they'll take a mile.

Ok the majority of our fans are fantastic but there are a few that ruin it for everyone else.

Perhaps your guide dog could enlighten you....

Sitting in Y26 as I do I have NOT seen this rush that you speak of. Is this first hand experience or are you dreaming?

[Skin]

LOL at the 'rush'

[Matt de K]

I guess that what with having the away fans directly next to the main RFC stand (no offence intended North or West standers) there is always going to be those moments where oposing fans exchange heated views.

Now I've been to a few grounds and had that sort of heated banter with, being the away fan, the home fans. Not once have i ever bumped into these supporters outside the ground. BUT what do you think the possibility would be of home & away clashes between a few poeple inside the Mad Stad eventually finding themselves outside. I think that the possibility would be much higher if the gates weren't errected. There isn't much ground to cover between the two stands (outside the ground) if they weren't there.

And it could be either the home fan waiting for the away fan outside the south (if he/she could get out of the east stand quick enough) or the away fan waiting for the home fan outside the East (more probable)

Now having the gates in place IS a pain in the arse - but I think that it is in place for the safety of maybe some of the little gobby oxf*rd in Y26, and probably has, unknowingly, stopped them from getting a beating from some hardcore northerners.

[biscuitsrus]

Southeners Southeners Southeners........................................

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Re the "we can't have opposition fans mingling outside the SE corner after the game" viewpoint - other clubs will hold back the away fans for 10-15 minutes after the final whistle. Is this something that RFC have considered for the "higher profile" matches?

[Jerry St Clair]

Is this something that RFC have considered for the "higher profile" matches?

Yes, and they have already said it could be illegal and don't want to run the risk of being sued by an away fan for false imprisonment.

[Joe]

Is this something that RFC have considered for the "higher profile" matches?

Yes, and they have already said it could be illegal and don't want to run the risk of being sued by an away fan for false imprisonment.

Did we not used to do this sometimes when millwall came to town?

[premiership_bound]

Is this something that RFC have considered for the "higher profile" matches?

Yes, and they have already said it could be illegal and don't want to run the risk of being sued by an away fan for false imprisonment.

Knowing Reading they would lock the home fans in for 15mins so not to upset the away fans.